reading pen II

I’ve heard mixed reviews. One of the problems I’ve heard is that if you don’t scan it just right, it wont read.

Have you thought about getting text books/books on tape and what about assistive technology?

I’ve heard about the reading pen and I have mixed feelings about it. While it is an immediate aid, I’m not convinced that in the long run it would be beneficial. We have that Leap Frog book that has the pen that you touch the word and it reads it for you (I’m assuming this is the same idea behind the reading pen II). I can’t say that is has done much to improve either of my two son’s reading problems. I bought it for them in hopes of catching some of the early problems with my younger son.

All I really want for my fifth grade son is for him to be independent, where he can follow along with the text and reading assignments and be able to read for himself (no matter how long it takes). Right now he is not, and like you I am reading everything to him. I have three children and this is becoming unreasonable as his reading assignments increase. Plus, is this doing him any good?

I’d be interested to know how books on tape really work. It was suggested to us to ask the school for these, but I’m wondering if its more hassle than it is worth.

I also fear accepting these accomodations for school. In my experience, when we accept an accomodation, remediation of the problem does not happen. I think the school then just feels the problem has been taken care of, with accomodations or assistive technology, so they don’t pursue with other strategies once we have accepted their answer of what seems to be convenience.

Sometimes you have a tough choice: you can have no remediation but the kiddo gets the extremely important language development that books on tape provide (though some kids have trouble with the language that way too, if their auditory issues are severe)… or you can have no remediation and a kiddo who gets further and further behind.

While it is true that practicing reading is really important for getting to be a better reader, in my experience when there’s a big gap between the reading skills and the listening comprehension skills, then hoping that the kid will become an independent reader because he’s pointed his face at books is a hope in vain. I’ve watched these kids in “DEAR” (Drop Everything and REad”) time and it breaks my heart because they really don’t realize what’s happening in everybody else’s mind… or worse yet, they do, but they know they don’t have access to it.

And the academic stuff — you really do have to ask just what the main purpose of the task is — to teach reading or to teach the academics. Sacrificing the academics and hoping (again, usually in utter vain) that the kiddo will become more independent is a big mistake. Lots and lots of kids *do* become more independent and learn incredible “fake-it” strategies that make them “independent students” who may get their assignments done, but don’t learn form them.

… in college, the background knowledge ends up being as important as the reading skill — and in high school it’s hte background knowledge that makes or breaks what classes a kiddo can even get into. Get the content in, with whatever it takes. \ Now, I”m a reading specialist — so also fight like a dog to get that remediation. And sometimes you have to pick one or the other simply because your kid’s human and can only cram so much intensive learning into a given day. I’ve known parents who put their kids on “no homework” or pulled ‘em out entirely when doing intensive reading remediation.

Accommodations are okay as long as they are put into place WHILE remediation occurs instead of in lieu of remediation. My daughter, no matter how much LMB she gets, will never be a spelling - that’s where AT comes in - so she can show her knowledge despite her deficits. In the work place she’ll be able to use AT. Have you read LD Online’s “How Computer Help the Writing Process for People with Learning Disabilities” by Richard Wanderman. It’s in First Person and it’s a terrific article.

We, however, are providing all our own private remediation b/c we knew what the school offered would not be enough. Her college $$$ is going to tutoring, but maybe she can get a student loan if she really wants to go.

Why can’t you have both remediation and accommodation? I’m thinking we may have to resort to books on tape in the upper grades for my daughter though right now she is doing okay - reading at grade level. Am I missing something?

You *should* be able to get both. In reality, most schools don’t provide remediation to older kids. Unfortunately they often feel that the “practice” will suffice and that the practice is, in fact, what teaches reading at that level — and so the student neither learns to read, nor the content he’s supposed to be learning. Or, they really think if your kid can’t read, he’s stupid, thank you very much.
And frankly, books on tape are also excellent practice for lecture situations (and you can listen to ‘em in the car, if it’s not a situation where you have to take notes orannotate, which is ever so much safer than reading while driving!)

In order for her to continue to do well, she needs to practice so that she strengthens her skills. Why is she in sped if she can read, is she justified for comprehension or what? If she reads now at grade level, why wouldn’t she read at grade level when she is older? Does she need remediation in muli-syllable words or those with advanced code? If this is her problem, remediate now. Phono-Graphix would help if this was the problem.

Can you elaborate on the no homework or pull out entirely when doing intensive reading remediation? I’m not sure I understand what you are saying.